Germany is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, along with excellent business schools. Students from all over the globe come to Germany for higher education at its renowned institutions of learning. If you are an international student looking for top-notch university education, Germany should be at the top of your list as the country ranks very highly for its higher education system.
From the German academic exchange service to scholarships in Germany, there are many opportunities for international students to study in Germany. Here is a comprehensive guide on affordable universities in Germany for international students.
In this article we’ll talk about Germany university fees for international students, scholarship for international students in germany, MBA programs and more.
One of the best parts about studying in Germany is that the fees and cost of living are relatively affordable when compared to other study destinations like the UK and the US.
International students from developing countries enrolled at public universities do not have to pay tuition fees. Yes, you read that right! You can study at some of the best universities in Germany without having to pay a single cent in tuition fees. Of course, you have to meet certain criteria to be eligible for this exemption.
If you do not qualify for a tuition fee exemption, don’t worry. The tuition fees at public universities in Germany are still relatively low when compared to other study destinations. On average, you can expect to pay between €150 and €300 per semester in tuition fees.
If you want to get admission to private universities in Germany, the tuition fees can be higher. You can expect to pay around €25,000 to €40,000 per year in tuition fees at a private university.
There are a few universities in Germany that offer the same quality of education as the more expensive and renowned universities, without charging high tuition fees. Here are some of the cheapest universities in Germany for international students:
Again the fees for master’s degree programs in Germany differ depending on the type of university. At a public university, you can expect to pay between €150 and €400 per semester in tuition fees. If you want to study at a private university, the tuition fees can be significantly higher with some universities charging up to €40,000 per academic year.
However, it is important to keep in mind that the tuition fees are only a part of the overall cost of studying in Germany. You also have to factor in the cost of living, which can be anywhere between €600 and €1,000 per month.
There are a number of scholarships and financial aid programs available for international students who want to study in Germany.
To get qualified for a scholarship in Germany, you have to meet certain criteria such as having an excellent academic record, being enrolled in a full-time degree program, and demonstrating financial need.
There are also a number of scholarships that are specifically for international students. For example, the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD offers scholarships for international students who want to study in Germany.
To find out more about scholarships and financial aid opportunities, you should contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country or get in touch with the university that you’re interested in studying at.
Here are the eligibility criteria for the DAAD scholarship:
1. Language Skills: You must have excellent English language proficiency, with a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Although it is not required, knowing German would be highly advantageous.
2. Academic Grades: You will need a minimum of 8.5 CGPA or 85% (depending on your degree) in order to be eligible for our exchange or short-term research program. If you are interested in either of these programs, you have to obtain a NOC from your home institution.
3. Work Experience: You must have a minimum of 2 years of working experience, research work, and teaching/graduate assistantship. Along with your 500-1000 word research proposal/SOP, submit your CV.
So these are the top 3 criteria for the DAAD scholarship. If you meet all of these requirements, you have a good chance of getting the scholarship.
To apply for the DAAD scholarship, you will need to fill out an online application form and submit it along with your CV, academic transcripts, language proficiency test scores, and a research proposal.
So if you are an international student who is looking for cheap yet high-quality education, Germany is definitely the place to be. With a wide range of universities and scholarships available, you are sure to find a program that suits your needs and budget at a college in Germany. Make sure to do your research into higher education institutions and apply early to increase your chances of getting accepted into a top university.
An adventure of a lifetime. A dream for many. A great opportunity to pursue your higher education in a foreign land – but is it affordable? Between tuition, insurance, travel and living expenses the cost of an international education quickly adds up.
If you’re thinking about studying abroad, it’s important to know your options for financial aid – and start saving!
One of the biggest factors in finding appropriate financial aid for a study abroad program is the location of the university you would like to attend. The availability of support for foreigners attending an American school is very different from that available to Americans pursuing an international education in Europe or elsewhere.
With that in mind, there is no simple answer to the best way to fund your study abroad adventure, but there are resources and opportunities for everyone, including undergraduate and graduate students.
From federal student aid to study abroad scholarships and from private sponsors, state organisations and your schools’s financial aid office – there is a financial aid package that will help you cover your study abroad expenses.
In this post we’re going to explore all the options and answer all the most common questions our readers have about securing financial aid for study abroad programs in the U.S., Canada and around the world. We’ll cover sections for Americans studying outside the U.S., international students coming to America, and those attending international schools around the world.
This is a topic that comes up all the time with our readers. Many students ask “Can you get FAFSA for study abroad?”.
First, let’s explain that FAFSA is the the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is a federal government form that determines your financial needs and informs most colleges’ financial aid offers. FAFSA collects information from applicants and parents, then uses a formula to calculate your capacity to pay for college in the United States and your financial aid requirements.
You won’t be able to receive any kind of federal financial aid in the US without completing the FAFSA, and it is very likely that you would need to complete it in order to receive financial aid directly from your college or university, too.
Federal aid is available for U.S. students seeking to study abroad. The type of program, duration of study and your status as an undergraduate or graduate can affect your eligibility, just like it does at schools in the U.S., but there are some differences when applying for this type of funding.
One of the biggest differences in the financial support for international studies is the duration of the intended study abroad program. At IEFA we generally talk about 2 main categories of international study: Study Abroad and Foreign Enrolled.
“Study Abroad” would be the term for those taking part in a short program of one semester or up to one academic year at a foreign university. Students on this type of program may be able to receive financial aid from the government if they fill out the FAFSA, meet the eligibility requirements and get the required paperwork completed by the financial aid office both at their home (U.S.) college and the foreign university they will attend.
Unfortunately, if your college is not part of the federal program then you would not be able to receive federal support for your study abroad costs.
A “Foreign Enrolled” student, on the other hand, is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is taking their degree program entirely at a foreign university. These students don’t have a “home institution” – a college in the U.S. They must therefore navigate the application process and study abroad experience themselves directly with their chosen school.
The good news for foreign enrolled students is that at many top universities around the world federal student aid is available and those same universities may have relationships with lenders who offer private loans for eligible students, too, meaning there are more funding opportunities and your study abroad dreams may be closer than you think.
If you are studying inside the U.S. or abroad, there are a number of different federal student loan programs and financial aid options. If you’d like more information on federal loans, you can learn about Stafford Loans here. Stafford loans are for students attending college at least half time. They provide an excellent educational funding resource for US citizens and permanent residents.
Funding options for international students in the U.S. are more limited than they may be in your home country.
In terms of the financial aid that you may be able to receive there are a few broad categories.
Whatever country you’re from, if you’re studying in Canada you’ll face the same challenges as many other students around the world.
The great news is that as well as the funding that you may be able to find by talking to your study abroad office such as tuition discounts, waivers, scholarships and more, there are also student loans available at a number of top universities across Canada. These loans do not require you to have collateral or a cosigner. Find out more about international student loans in Canada.
Do you have any questions about funding your study abroad experience? Let us know in the comments!
Costa Rican Vacations Scholarship
Deadline: February 15
If you’re enrolled to receive an undergraduate degree at a US based university and are studying a field of tourism, sustainable development or sustainable tourism, you will want to check out this scholarship! Every year two students are awarded the Costa Rican Vacations Scholarship in the amount of $1000. Students do not need to be of a certain nationality, however, they must be enrolled in a US college or university and have a minimum GPA of 2.8. Proof of enrollment and GPA status will be required in order to apply.
Other items that applicants must submit include the following:
This document must be saved as a PDF under a name that reflects the following: lastname-firstname-costa-rican-vacations-essay.pdf.
This scholarship is sponsored by Costa Rican Vacations, a travel agency in Costa Rica that launched in 1999. Costa Rican Vacations was started by two roommates, and now has a staff of over 80 full- time professionals throughout three countries.
This scholarship is not automatically renewed each year, however, eligible students are able to re-apply. If you would like more information on how to apply for this scholarship you can visit here.
The Green Store Challenge
Deadline: January 7
DO School fellows who are looking for a challenge, experience, and to save some cash, here’s one that you might want to check out. The DO School and H&M have teamed up to establish this challenge, to help the push toward creating stores that are sustainable in terms of materials, construction, energy and operation. The Green Store Challenge will allow fellows to create a green store prototype that is scalable to H&M stores world-wide.
Fellows will have the opportunity to first connect with leading experts on various environmental aspects relating to the construction and operation of stores, including construction materials, recycling systems and sustainable interior design. Fellows will then conduct research to ensure they firmly grasp the vision that H&M has when it comes to finding a sustainable design and operation.
Individuals at the DO school between the ages of 18 and 28, from around the world are able to apply to participate in this challenge. Twenty fellows will be selected to participate in the Green Store Challenge and receive a scholarship to cover the cost of tuition. Each of the fellows will live and work together during the 10 week incubation phase. After this, fellows will return home and begin the 10 month implementation phase of the program through an online platform.
You can find more on the Green Store Challenge and how to apply here.
Many international students dream of studying in the US. However, the cost of such an education is quite high, and many international students end up having to pay that full cost, as international students are not eligible for federal aid programs such as Stafford and Perkins loans or many local scholarships. Some schools in the US offer need-based aid to international students, but such aid is generally offered on a very limited basis. For this reason, many international students believe that it will be impossible for them to study in the United States.
However, international students with a dream of studying in the US shouldn’t despair; US News recently conducted a survey of nearly 1,800 colleges and universities for their 2013 survey of undergraduate programs, and found that nearly 345 ranked US colleges offered financial aid to at least 50 international undergraduate students during the 2012-2013 school year, with the average scholarship totaling $17,721. The study found that some of the top ranked schools in the United States proved to be particularly generous to international students.
Williams College, the number one ranked National Liberal Arts College, awarded scholarships to 80 international students for 2012-2013. The average award was $54,671. Harvard University, which ranked at number two among National Universities, awarded scholarships averaging $52,578 to 530 international students.
Both of these schools are among the ten schools that offer the most financial aid to international students. All of the top ten schools placed in the top 50 in their respective categories in the 2014 Best Colleges rankings, and awarded an average scholarship of $52,764 to international undergraduates.
Students should bear in mind that getting into one of these highly elite schools is no easy task; the University of Chicago, which offered the highest average award to international students, accepted 3,345 students of 25,273 applicants for fall 2012.
International students should also bear in mind that admission to one of these schools doesn’t guarantee a scholarship. Only 57 of UChicago’s undergraduate international students received financial aid during the 2012-2013 school year—less than 11% of all international undergraduates.
It is important that international students not let a lack of funds discourage them from pursuing receiving an education in the US. Make sure you thoroughly research all of your options so that you know how to go about financing your education in the United States.
If you are interested in seeing the full list of schools that offer financial aid to international students, you can access the U.S. News College Compass to find financial aid data, complete rankings and more.
A few weeks ago, the British government introduced its new International Education Strategy, the goal of which is to attract an additional 90,000 university students from overseas by 2018. According to the report, the education exports industry—which includes everything from tuition paid by international students to the overseas branches of British schools—adds £17.5 billion, or $26.5 billion, to the national economy.
The United Kingdom wishes to increase partnerships with other countries, encourage more British students to study overseas, and expand the Chevening Scholarship program, which finances foreign students studying in Britain. Business Secretary Vince Cable said in a statement, “Overseas students make a huge contribution to Britain. They boost our economy, and enhance our cultural life, which is why there is no cap on the number of legitimate students who can study here.”
Research suggests that as many as a third of the educational institutions in Britain, including some of the country’s finest, will recruit more students from outside Britain and the EU this year, continuing an already established trend. In the last ten years alone, the proportion of international students recruited to British universities has doubled. In fact, half of all students enrolled in postgraduate courses are now foreign. Read the rest of this entry »
For students planning on studying abroad, one of the most pressing concerns is the cost. Where you choose to study can have a drastic effect on how much you end up paying for your education.
According to a recent study by HSBC, Australia, the USA, and the UK are the three most expensive countries for international students. The study was done on data available on higher education in 13 countries around the world.
The UK was the third most expensive country overall, with annual fees of $19,291 and living costs of $10,177.
HSBC spokesperson Malik Sarwar commented, “”Those who wish to educate their children overseas need to consider more factors than simply tuition fees, such as living costs, exchange rates and inflation in their estimates of total costs. On average, living expenses can comprise at least a third of total costs and parents need to budget for travels back home during school holidays. As such, there is a need for parents to ensure their children’s education forms an important part of their financial planning.”
According to new research, international students in the UK are being charged up to four times as much for some degree courses than students from the UK. In some cases, international undergraduate students are being asked to pay up to £35,000 for their courses.
The amount that international students are charged varies according to the type of program in which they are enrolled: classroom based, laboratory, or clinical. Medical based or clinical programs are among the most expensive. Undergraduate degree fees for the 2013-2014 school year vary between £7,450 and £35,000 for international students, the survey claims.
In spite of these fees, studying in the UK is still less expensive for international students then studying in the United States or Australia.
According to a recent study by HSBC Group, the United States is now the second most expensive country in the world for international students. The combined average cost of university fees and living expenses for international students in the US is over $35,000, and international students at Ivy League schools can expect to pay far more, with total costs running over $58,000.
In spite of the high cost, more and more international students are studying in the United States every year. According to the “2012 Open Doors Report” released by the Institute of International Education (IIE), in the 2011-2012 school year, international student enrollment at both colleges and graduate schools in the US increased. 764,321 international students in total were enrolled at a US institution, a 5.7% increase over 2010-2011.
A US education is likely an expensive endeavor for international students from any country. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid, scholarships are often limited, and some colleges charge additional international student fees on top of tuition. For these reasons, the majority of international student rely primarily on their own funds to study in the US. In 2011-2012, 486,524 international undergraduate and graduate students used personal or family funds as their primary monetary source—a 6.1% increase over those who did so in 2010-2011.
However, an increasing number of international students in the US are finding outside sources willing to pay the brunt of their education costs. These outside sources include foreign private sponsors, current employers, or their US college or university. Receiving international aid is more common for international graduate students than undergraduates. In spite of this, US colleges are seeing bigger year-over-year jumps in international student enrollment than graduate schools.
The majority of international student enroll in public schools for their US education. Of the 24 institutions with the most international students in 2011-2012, about 20 were public schools. However, some international students look elsewhere for their educations. In that same school year, about 11% of international students in the US were enrolled in community colleges, two-year institutions with typically low costs. Another third of international students were enrolled in private, nonprofit colleges.
International students in the US are advised to consider all their options carefully before enrolling. The school they choose could drastically change the amount they end up paying for their education, and students should be searching for the school that is the right fit for them and their budgets.
Keep checking back for more from our series on the most expensive countries for international students.
$40K Give Away Scholarship
Deadline: September 30
The GotScholarship $40K Giveaway is back! For the third year GotChosen is hosting a scholarship for international students to have the chance to win financial assistance toward their education. This award is open to students pursuing any area of study and will cover educational expenses including tuition, books and other educational supplies/equipment.
To apply for this $40,000 award, individuals must be at least 18 years old and must complete the registration form. After signing up, students are able to apply for this award by either selecting the “apply” button on the $40K Give Away Scholarship page, or by mailing in a written request.
After registration, individuals can increase their chance at winning the $40K by gaining sponsors. A sponsor is an individual who registers and agrees to sponsor the individual who invited them- this does not require a purchase. The more sponsors you gain means the more entries you will obtain, thus increasing your chance at winning the $40K!
The deadline to apply for this award and gain as many sponsors as possible is September 30th. The winner will be announced October 31st.
Hobsons’ Virtual Student Fair
Deadline: Variable
Students who are looking for a scholarship and a school to attend as an international student are in luck since the Hobsons’ Virtual Student Fair is just around the corner. There, students can chat live with US school representatives and current international students at schools throughout the US. Student are able to have all of their questions answered right away and receive further information on how to apply to the school of their interest. As a bonus, those who attend the fair are entered for a chance to win $3000 in scholarships.
Last year spots filled up quick as thousands of international students signed up to attend the fair. If you would like to attend the fair, the date and time will vary depending on your citizenship. Find your home region below, then follow the link and sign up to attend the Hobsons’ Virtual Student Fair to chat with US schools live and a chance to win a scholarship.
If you would like to attend the online fair, you are able to register now to reserve your spot for a chance to chat with US schools and win a portion of the $3000 in scholarships available!
We work with leading providers of international student loan programs to provide students around the world with financial aid options to fund their education abroad.
Enter your information below to be shown the loan options that are available to you. Start searching today!
Find a Loan 